John Breedon, head of corporate consulting at JLT, is stepping into the breach following the sudden departure of the firm’s head of investment consulting, Peter Ball.

A JLT spokeswoman confirmed Ball’s departure, adding Breedon would take over on an acting business, prior decisions on taking the investment business forward. Former colleagues expressed surprise at Ball's departure. People close Ball said he had not, as yet, revealed any job plans. Ball declined to comment.

Ball quit as head of JP Morgan Asset Management’s institutional business in July 2011, to lead investment consulting at JLT, working alongside Antony Barker, head of strategies. In May 2012 they announced plans to launch a new fiduciary-management service, reporting to Mark Wood, chief executive of pensions consultancy JLT Benefit Solutions

In June, Barker quit to run banking group Santander’s UK office. But, as recently as last February, Ball told Financial News that he was enjoying building JLT’s investment business.